Six-hundred and sixty-one Fort Huachuca volunteers were recognized on the installation April 18 during a volunteer appreciation luncheon, sponsored by Army Community Service, honoring the â€œForce Behind the Force.â€

â€œVolunteering is not unique to America; what is unique is their generosity,â€ said Maj. Gen. Gregg Potter, commanding general, U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca, during his opening remarks.

Quoting President Ronald Reagan, Potter said, â€œNo matter how big government gets, and no matter how many services it provides, it can never take the place ofÂ volunteers.â€

â€œThe very definition of a volunteer is a person who performs a service willingly and without pay. When I think of volunteers, words like action and hard work come to mind,â€ he said.

â€œWell, the action of our 615 Fort Huachuca community volunteers has resulted in just over 69,000 hours being donated, with a dollar value of just over $1.5 million,â€ Potter said.

â€œThat is the cost savings that your volunteers gave to our community.â€

Each Fort Huachuca volunteer was honored with a star on the â€œwalk of fameâ€ at the TMAC, each one bearing a volunteerâ€™s name. Each received a certificate of appreciation, a coaster and pin in recognition of their volunteer service, and a complimentary lunch.

In addition to honoring the Fortâ€™s volunteers, three Volunteers of the Year were singled out for their contributions during 2011.

Each volunteer of the year awardee received a certificate of appreciation, a $500 savings bond and a gift-card pack.

Volunteers of the Year were broken into three different categories: Youth, those volunteers under the age of 18, Civilian, which included military spouses, civilian employees and retirees, and the Military which included active, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers.

The Youth Volunteer of the Year was announced first.

Casey Harris received the honor. He was nominated for his volunteer actions while supporting the Main Post Chapel Giving Tree. Harris has been volunteering with this event for the past six years with his grandmother, Darlene Lockwood.

The Civilian Volunteer of the Year was then announced next.

Jennifer Rickert was selected for her contributions to Army Community Service. Rickert is the special events coordinator, handling the ACS Newsletter and the ACS Facebook page. She is also the co-creator of the Fort Huachuca Resilient Spouse Academy.

Other nominees in the Civilian Volunteer of the Year included:

Amanda Boston and Pam Parker for their volunteer actions in establishing a Fort Huachuca Awana Program, a religious education program that assists children involved to grow spiritually, mentally, socially and physically.

Cinda Caparulo, for her volunteer work with Fort Huachuca Boy Scouts of America Troop #431 and Girl Scouts of the United States of America Troop #662. She also volunteers with the Buena High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and the BSA Cochise County District Committee.

Lori Fleetwood-Watt, Shuronia Lindo and Annette Quiroz for their efforts supporting the Family Readiness Groups of the 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion.

Gene Fenstermacher for volunteer actions with the Fort Huachuca Retiree Council, ensuring a good quality of life for the retirees in the Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca community.

Conrad McCormick for donating over 8,000 volunteer service hours in his 16 years as a Fort Huachuca volunteer at the Fort Huachuca and U.S. Army Intelligence Museums.

Nicole Miller for her volunteer actions with the Fort Huachuca spouses club. She is the 1st vice president and brings spouses together on a monthly basis to network, share and support one another.

Finally, Tracey Clark, ACS Volunteer Corps director, announced the Military Volunteer of the Year.

Lt. Col. Timothy Timmons received the award for his work with the Civil Air Patrol, Cochise Composite Squadron. Timmonsâ€™ actions as pilot-in-command on a search-and-rescue mission located 11 people lost in the desert on July 3, 2011. Border Patrol Agents reported the group was out of water and would not have survived much longer in the 115-degree heat.

Also nominated were:

Staff Sgt. Brad Sullivan, for service to the Nancy J. Bruna, City of Sierra Vista Animal shelter and service as an Arizona Ranger.

Sullivan was also selected as the Sierra Vista Police Department Volunteer of the Year and received awards for that honor Saturday during an awards banquet at Sierra Vistaâ€™s Ethel Berger Center.

Staff Sgt. Ashley Kiil for her contributions to the 304th Family Readiness Group, ensuring that the families of the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion are well cared for and have the best possible quality of life.

Staff Sgt. Mihan Polk for her volunteer translation services with the Sierra Vista Bethel Church translating each Sunday service for Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca community members who speak Korean.

Staff Sgt. Kimberly Robinson was chosen for her volunteer service with Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Clinic Family Readiness Group, the Fort Huachuca Southwest Association of the Buffalo Soldiers and the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club.

Sgt. Chasity Moment was nominated for her volunteer contributions to the Fort Huachuca Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program.

â€œSo many people gathered in this room live a life a service,â€ said Clark during her remarks.

â€œIt is your service to others that makes our community a beautiful place for all to live and work. â€¦ A heartfelt thank you to all of you for joining us and thank you for all you do to serve our community,â€ she added.

Those interested in volunteering on Fort Huachuca are invited to call Clark, 533.2330/5919.

Local Military Discounts

Pentagon Channel

Spouses to tour Fort Huachuca Army Community Service is sponsoring a military spouse van tour of Fort Huachuca to familiarize spouses with what is available on the installation. Breakfast will be at ACS on Mar. 29, at 8:30 a.m....

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